health care workers and mental health

Conditions: Depressive Symptoms; Anxiety; Well-Being

Summary: the purpose of this proposal is to deploy digital health interventions to bring timely, easily accessible resources and care to address the mental health and well-being needs of hcws with direct patient care that are experiencing the impact of the covid-19 pandemic and its economic, financial, and social sequelae at present and presumably for years to come. this proposal will evaluate the effectiveness of an enhanced digital mental health care delivery system (cobalt), any differential effect by race and gender and, through qualitative interviews, how those interventions are perceived.

the purpose of this proposal is to deploy digital health interventions to bring timely, easily accessible resources and care to address the mental health and well-being needs of hcws with direct patient care that are experiencing the impact of the covid-19 pandemic and its economic, financial, and social sequelae at present and presumably for years to come. this proposal will evaluate the effectiveness of an enhanced digital mental health care delivery system (cobalt), any differential effect by race and gender and, through qualitative interviews, how those interventions are perceived. no intervention: usual care, participants will complete baseline surveys at enrollment and then complete subsequent surveys (depression, anxiety, well-being, satisfaction with access to care, work productivity, hours of direct patient care, percent of time providing care for patients with covid-19) at enrollment; 0 months, 6 months, and 9 months. behavioral: cobalt +: participants will complete baseline surveys at enrollment and then complete subsequent surveys (depression, anxiety, well-being, satisfaction with access to care, work productivity) at enrollment; 0 months and then again at 6 months. the primary endpoint is assessed at 6 months. a secondary endpoint of persistence of effect is measured 3 months later-9 months post initiation. the intervention group receives usual cobalt plus: 1) monthly automated text messaging reminders and links to cobalt resources 2) intermittent mental health assessments which triage individuals to an appointment based on their results.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: 1. aged 18 years or older 2. regular, daily access to an smartphone 3. able to communicate fluently in english 4. work at least 4 hours per week in either a hospital or outpatient based setting. this includes health care workers like physicians, nurses, certified nursing assistants, lab technicians, radiology technicians, physical therapist, occupational therapist, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, patient registration staff, receptionists/patient intake coordinators, environmental and food service personnel approximately 4 hours/week. this averages 192 hours/ 48 weeks in a year) in the study time frame. exclusion criteria: 1. not aged 18 years or older 2. does not have regular, daily access to a smartphone 3. unable to communicate fluently in english 4. does not work at least 4 hours per week in either a hospital or outpatient based setting. 5. not willing to sign the informed consent document